Tassel



March 22, 193$. Q K 2,112,100

TASSEL Filed April 21, 1957 ENTOR INV N CLIFFORD G. KING TZMWQ.

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 22 1938 UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE l 2,112,100 r r "mssnn,

"Clifford'G. King, Barrington, 'R l. v 7 Application April 12', 1937, Serial No. 136,399

'12 Claims. ona-27s) My invention relates to an improved type of tassel for use on cord articles, such as picture frame cords, curtain cords, etc., and is particularly adapted for use as a tassel to be attached to the end of a ladys shoe lace in accordance with the latest vogue.

The present invention is an improvement on the structure shown in my former-application for patent for Tassel, S. N. 720,123, filed April 11, 1934.

An object of my invention is to provide a tassel within the range of the generic invention covered by said application, but which comprises certain specific improvements thereover which not only enhance its ornamental appearancabut also enhance its ease of assembly andjautomatically provide a standard tassel despite any irregularities which may take place in the thickness ofthe leather tuftmember which invariably occur due to varying degrees of thicknesses in the hides employed. a a

A further object of my invention :is to improve the construction of the inner clamping means to provide the top of the tassel with a graceful curve and to insure that the hoop-member or means I preferably employ will compressthe tuft portions of the tuft,member uniformally into a tuftdespite whatever irregularities may be present in the thickness of the different tuft 'members. w M s These and such other objects of my invention as may hereinafter appear will be best understood from a description of the accompanying drawing which illustrates an embodiment thereof. In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a tassel constructed in accordance with my invention, V r i Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the hoop member I preferably employ therein.

1 Fig; 3 is a perspective View of the flexible tuft forming member I preferably employ having the radial strand forming arms.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the inner tubular-forming sheet I preferably employ as the lower clamping means of my invention.

Fig. 5 is a disassembled'perspective view of the various parts of my invention including a tubu lar'expanding wedge member in substantially the vertical alignment they assume prior to assembly.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the 1m v proved tassel shown in Fig. 1 secured to the end of a cord article byproviding a knot therein.

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of an alternative embodimentof my invention employing an alternative type of elastic hoop means. 7

Fig. .8 is. a perspective View of said alternative type of hoop means.

In the drawing, wherein like characters ofreference indicate like parts throughout, l0 generally indicates an improved type of tassel constructed in accordance with my invention.

My improved tassel includes a tuft member 12 of flexible material, such as leather having a 10 center portion 14 having a hole 16 therein for stringing on said cord article and spaced integral tuft forming portions 18 projecting radially outwardly from said center portion, an inner tubular forming shell 20 adapted to have said tuft 15 member superimposed thereon and a hoop member ormeans 22 adapted to be superimposed over said'tuft forming member 12 to bend said radial tuftstran'dsltl downwardly in tuft formation' over said forming shell substantially normal to the upper end of said shell and clamp 20 them in tuft'formation against said inner forming shell 2!]. The tuft forming member l2 may be suitably stamped or otherwise cut from; any

suitable ornamental flexible material, such as type of means may be provided to function in 35' combination with the hoop member 22 for clamping the tuft member 12 in tuft formation, I preferably construct the inner tubular forming shell 20 of resilient material which may be readily stamped or otherwise pressure shaped to the desired shape, such as metal, composition, etc. Said forming shell 20 is preferably provided with a hole 26 for receiving the cord article 24 therethrough and in my preferred'embodiment, said hole 26. is provided as the hollow center portion of a hollow tubular neck portion 28 of a size for stringing on said cord article and for receiving the center hole of said tuft member therethrough, so that said neck portion 28 may project upwardly through the hole 16 in said tuft member 12. In the preferred embodiment shown, said forming shell is also provided with an integral substantially frustro hemi-spherical shoul-, der portion 30 integrally attached ,to the lower end of said neck portion 28 and I provide an integral tubular skirt portion 32 extending axially downwardly from the lower end of said shoulder portion 38. If desired, the periphery of said tubular skirt portion 32 may be provided with spaced prong means 34 projecting outwardly therefrom at circumferentially spaced distances thereon which may be made if desired by striking portions of said skirt outwardly from the skirt body. If desired, to increase the resiliency of the skirt portion 32 for a purpose to be later described, said skirt portion 32 may be provided with the circumferentially spaced channels or slits 36 formed therein from the lower end thereof and extending upwardly a substantial distance into the skirt body. While these cut away portions 36 may comprise slits, they preferably comprise the cut out channels shown. Thus it is obvious that I have provided an inner forming shell which may be readily stamped or pressure shaped from a sheet of any suitable material or formed by drawing or spinning from a tube and in which the hole 26, shoulder 38, channels 36 and prongs 34 may be readily formed thereon during the course of its manufacture.

As stated, I provide a hoop member 22 preferably constructed of suitable ornamental material and which may if desired be suitably ornamented in any suitable manner and preferably of slightly greater circumference than the periphery of the lower end of said shoulder 30 adapted to be superimposed over said tuft forming member l2.to bend the radial tuft strands i8 downwardly in tuft formation over said forming shell 28 substantially normal to the upper end of said shell and clamp them in tuft formation against said inner forming shell 26, the assembly thereof being diagrammatically illustrated by the perspective view shown in Fig. 5. If desired, in place of the rigid hoop member 22 any suitable type of alternative hoop means may be employed and I have shown in Figs. '7 and 8 an alternative type of hoop means 22 comprising an elastic coil spring or corrugated hoop member. If this type of hoop means be employed, it is apparent that the necessity for the wedge ring 38 for expanding the lower end of said skirt portion outwards may be dispensed with as the elastic hoop means will at all times tend to retain the strand portions l8 of said tuft forming member I2 in tuft formation over the inner shell, will expand when the device is assembled to accommodate for different thicknesses in the material of which the tuft forming member l2 may be constructed, and always tending to return to its original pre-stretched condition will firmly clamp the strands in tuft formation against said. inner forming shell in use.

As stated hitherto, the tuft forming member I2 is preferably constructed of flexible material and is preferably out in the flat form shown in Fig. 3 from a sheet of leather. Great difficulty was experienced in providing uniform tassels which would stay together due to differences in the thickness in the leather employed, and for this reason, I have constructed my preferred embodiment as shown to permit the manufacture of successively assembled tassels of uniform appearance which will stick together and so for this purpose I have constructed the skirt portion 32 of resilient material and provided it with the channels 36 so that if desired the lower end thereof may be expanded to accommodate leather tassels of different thickness and to insure that the prong members 34 where employed will become embedded into the leather. To insure atight binding or clamping of the leather strands l8 against the inner surface of the hoop member, preferably so that the prong means 34 where employed will bite into the inner surface of the leather, I provide the tubular, preferably upwardly tapered expanding wedge member 38 adapted to be inserted within the lower end of said skirt portion 32 to expand said lower end suificiently, in the embodiment shown, the spaced strip portions 40 forming the skirt body intermediate said channels 36 outwardly, to cause said prong means 34 where employed or said inner forming shell body if not employed to engage the inner surface of said strands l8 to maintain a rigid assembly despite irregularities of thickness in said tuft member, although, if desired, as is apparent, any other suitable types of wedge means may be employed for this purpose.

While my improved tassel I8 is adapted to be sold as a unit, it is obvious that the hoop member 22 is made hollow, the neck portion 28 is provided with the hollow central portion 26 and the skirt portion is made hollow so that the cord member 28 may be readily threaded through said holes. My improved tassel ll] may be secured on the cord article in any suitable manner, such as by having it abut the upper end of the cylindrical unraveling member normally employed at the end of the shoe lace as shown in my copending application, or by providing the suitable knot 44 in the lower end of'said cord article 24 against the upper surface of which the under surface of said shoulder 30 is adapted to rest.

It is apparent therefore that I have provided a novel type of tassel with the advantages explained above.

It is understood that my invention is not limited to the specific embodiments shown and that various deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A tassel for use with shoe laces and like cord articles having a free end comprising a tuft member of flexible material having a center portion having a hole therein for stringing on said cord article and spaced integral tuft forming portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion, a resilient inner tubular forming shell adapted to have said tuft member superimposed thereon having a hollow tubular neck portion for stringing on said cord article and for receiving the center hole of said tuft member, an integral substantially frustro hemi-spherical shoulder portion below said neck portion and an integral tubular skirt portion extending axially downwardly from the lower end of said shoulder portion having circumferentially spaced channels formed therein and prong means projecting outwardly therefrom and a hoop member of slightly greater circumference than the lower end of said shoulder adapted to be superimposed over said tuft forming member to bend said radial tuft strands downwardly in tuft formation over said forming shell substantially normal to the upper end of said shell and clamp them in tuft formation against said inner forming shell and a tubular upwardly tapering expanding wedge member adapted to be inserted within the lower end of said skirt portion to expand said lower end sufficiently to cause said prong means to engage said strands to maintain a rigid assembly despite irregularities in thickness of said tuft member.

2. A tassel for use with shoe laces and like cord articles having a free end comprising a tuft member of flexible material having a center portion having a hole therein for stringing on said cord article and spaced integral tuft forming portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion, an inner tubular forming shell adapted to have said tuft member superimposed thereon, and hoop means adapted to be superimposed over said tuft forming member to bend said radial tuft strands downwardly in tuft formation over said forming shell substantially normal to the upper end of said shell and clamp them in tuft formation against said inner forming shell.

3. A tassel for use with shoe laces and like cord articles-having a free end comprising a tuft member of flexible material having a center portion having a hole therein for stringing on said cord article and spaced integral tuft forming portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion, an inner tubular forming shell adapted to have said tuft member superimposed thereon, and elastic hoop means adapted to be superimposed over said tuft forming member to bend said radial tuft strands downwardly in tuft formation over said forming shell substantially normal to the upper end of said shell and clamp them in tuft formation against said inner forming shell.

4. A tassel foruse with shoe laces and like cord articles having a free end comprising a tuft member of flexible material having a center portion having a hole therein for stringing on said cord article and spaced integral tuft forming portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion, a resilient inner tubular forming shell adapted to have said tuft member superimposed therein, a hoop member adapted to be superimposed over said tuft forming member to bend said radial tuft strands downwardly in tuft formation over said forming shell substantially normal to the upper end of said shell and clamp them in tuft formation against said inner forming shell, and a tubular expanding upwardly tapering wedge member adapted to be inserted within the lower end of said forming shell to expand said lower end sufficiently to engage said strands to maintain a rigid assembly despite irregularities in thickness of said tuft member. 5. A tassel for use with shoe laces and like cord articles having a free and comprising a tuft member of flexible material having a center portion having a hole therein for stringing on said cord article and spaced integral tuft forming portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion, a resilient inner tubular forming shell adapted to have said tuft member superimposed therein, a hoop member adapted to be superimposed over said tuft forming member to bend said radial tuft strands downwardly in tuft formation over said forming shell substantially normal to the upper end of said shell and clamp them in tuft formation against said inner forming shell, and wedge means adapted tobe inserted within the lower end of said forming shell to expand said lower end sufiiciently to engage said strands to maintain a rigid assembly despite irregularities in thickness of said tuft member.

6. A tassel for use with shoe laces and like cord articles having a free end comprising a tuft member of flexible material having a center portion having a hole therein for stringing on said cord article and spaced integral tuft forming portions projecting radially outwardly fromv said'center portion, an inner tubular forming shell adapted to have said tuft member superimposed thereon having a hollow tubular neck portion for stringing on said cord article and for receiving the center hole of said tuft member, an integral substantially frustro hemi-sphericalshoulder portion below said neck portion and an integral tubular skirt portion extending axially downwardly from the lower end of said shoulder portion and a hoop member of slightly greater circumference than the lower end of said shoulder adapted to be superimposed over said tuft forming member to bend said radial tuft strands downwardly in tuft formation over said forming shell substantially normal tothe upper end of said shell and clamp them in tuft formation against said inner forming shell.

7. A tassel for use with shoe laces and like cord articles having a free end comprising a tuft member of flexible material having a center portion having a hole therein for stringing on said cord article and spaced integral tuft forming portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion, an inner tubular forming shell adapted to have said tuft member superimposed thereon having a hollow tubular neck portion for stringing on said cord article and for receiving the center hole of said tuft member, an integral substantially frustro hemi-spherical shoulder portion below said neck portion and an integral tubular skirt portion extending axially downwardly from the lower end of said shoulder portion and elastic hoop means adapted to be superimposed oversaid tuft forming member to bend said radial tuft strands downwardly in tuft formation over said forming shell substantially normal to the upper end of said shell and clamp them in tuft formation against said inner forming shell.

8. A tassel for use with shoe laces and like cord articles having a free end comprising a tuft member of flexible material having a center portion having a hole therein for stringing on said cord article and spaced integral tuft forming portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion, a resilient inner tubular forming shell adapted to have said tuft member superimposed thereon having a hollow tubular neck portion for stringing on said cord article and for receiving the center hole of said tuft member, an integral substantially frustro herni-spherical shoulder portion below said neck portion and an integral tubular skirt portion extending axially downwardly from the lower end of said shoulder portion, a hoop member of slightly greater circumference than the lower end of said shoulder adapted to be superimposed over said tuft forming member to bend said radial tuft strands downwardly in tuft formation over said forming shell substantially normal to the upper end of said shell and clamp them in tuft formation against said inner forming shell and a tubular upwardly tapering expanding wedge member adapted to be inserted within the lower end of said skirt portion to expand said lower end sufiiciently to maintain a rigid assembly despite irregularities in thickness of said tuft member.

9. A tassel for use with shoe laces and like cord articles having a, free end comprising a tuft member of flexible material having a center portion having a hole therein for stringing on said cord article and spaced integral tuft forming portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion, a resilient inner tubular forming shell adapted to have said tuft member superimposed thereon having a hollow tubular neck portion for stringing on said cord article and for receiving the center hole of said tuft member, an integral substantially frustro hemi-spherical shoulder portion below said neck portion and an integral tubular skirt portion extending axially downwardly from the lower end. of said shoulder portion and prong means projecting outwardly therefrom and a hoop member of slightly greater circumference than the lower end of said shoulder adapted to be superimposed over said tuft forming member to bend said radial tuft strands downwardly in tuft formation over said forming shell substantially normal to the upper end of said shell and clamp them in tuft formation against said inner forming shell.

10. A tassel for use with shoe laces and like cord articles having a free end comprising a tuft member of flexible material having a center portion having a hole therein for stringing on said cord article and spaced integral tuft forming portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion, an inner tubular forming shell adapted to have said tuft member superimposed thereon having a hollow tubular neck portion for stringing on said cord article and for receiving the center hole of said tuft member, an integral substantially frustro hemi-spherical shoulder portion below said neck portion and an integral tubular skirt portion extending axially downwardly from the lower end of said shoulder portion having circumferentially spaced channels formed therein and a hoop member of slightly greater circumference than the lower end of said shoulder adapted to be superimposed over said tuft forming member to bend said radial tuft strands downwardly in tuft formation over said forming shell substantially normal to the upper end of said shell and clamp them in tuft formation against said inner forming shell.

11. A tassel for use with shoe laces and like cord articles having a free end comprising a tuft member of flexible material having a center portion having a hole therein for stringing on said cord article and spaced integral tuft forming portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion, a resilient inner tubular forming shell adapted to have said tuft member superimposed thereon having a hollow tubular neck portion for stringing on said cord article and for receiving the center hole of said tuft member,

an integral substantially frustro hemi-spherical shoulder portion below said neck portion and an integral tubular skirt portion extending axially downwardly from the lower end of said shoulder portion having prong means projecting outwardly therefrom, a hoop member of slightly greater circumference than the lower end of said shoulder adapted to be superimposed over said tuft forming member to bend said radial tuft strands downwardly in tuft formation over said forming shell substantially normal to the upper end of said shell and clamp them in tuft formation against said inner forming shell and a tubular expanding upwardly tapering wedge member adapted to be inserted within the lower end of said skirt portion to expand said lower end sufficiently to cause said prong means to engage said strands to maintain a rigid assembly despite irregularities in thickness of said tuft member.

12. A tassel for use with shoe laces and like cord articles having a free end comprising a tuft member of flexible material having a center portion having a hole therein for stringing on said cord article and spaced integral tuft forming portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion, a resilient inner tubular forming shell adapted to have said tuft member superimposed thereon having a hollow tubular neck portion for stringing on said cord article and for receiving the center hole of said tuft member, an integral substantially frustro hemi-spherical shoulder portion below said neck portion and an integral tubular skirt portion extending axially downwardly from the lower end of said shoulder portion having circumferentially spaced channels formed therein, a hoop member of slightly greater circumference than the lower end of said shoulder adapted to be superimposed over said tuft forming member to bend said radial tuft strands downwardly in tuft formation over said forming shell substantially normal to the upper end of said shell and clamp them in tuft formation against said inner forming shell and a tubular expanding upwardly tapering wedge member adapted to be inserted within the lower end of said skirt portion to expand said lower end sufliciently to maintain a rigid assembly despite irregularities in thickness of said tuft member.

CLIFFORD G. KING. 

